Container-filling and weight-related dosing device

ABSTRACT

The intended use of this device is for filling and weight related dosing of containers with a cylindrical neck and a ring around the neck. The device consists of connected gripping device ( 7 ) and closed type drawing mechanism ( 3 ). With one variation realization, the gripping device ( 7 ) consists of two jaws ( 8 ) moving in a horizontal plane, mounted onto a supporting plate ( 10 ) and interconnected by means of a spring (H). The changeable fixing element ( 13 ) is mounted between the middle sections of the two movable jaws ( 8 ), attached onto the supporting plate ( 10 ). A protrusion ( 14 ) is shaped at the front end of the changeable fixing element ( 13 ), pressing part of the upper surface of the ring ( 6 ) on the cylindrical neck ( 5 ) of the container ( 4 ). A round area ( 15 ) is shaped at the front end of the supporting plate ( 10 ), used for supporting and pressing part of the lower surface of the ring ( 6 ) on the cylindrical neck ( 5 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention constitutes a container-filling and weight-related dosingdevice which can find application in machines and equipment, mainly inthe food industry, intended for automated filling of fluids intocontainers with cylindrical ringed necks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There exists a device for filling and measuring the weight of containerswith cylindrical neck and a ring around the neck, consisting ofconnected gripping device and container weight measuring mechanism whichmeasures the quantity of container content (EP NO 1 025 424 B1). Thegripping device consists of two jaws that move in a horizontal plane,connected with a spring and mounted on a supporting console plate. Theconsole plate is connected with a tensometric sensor for receivingweight measurements from the weight measuring mechanism, which is a boxconsisting of hollow parts, fitted with a pipe and a protective sleeve.

In their front end, the jaws form a circle for gripping the neck of thecontainer. There is a protrusion on the upper surface of the front endof each jaw on which rests the ring of the container during operation.

The filling and weighing device itself is part of a filling installationof the carousel type and it includes a rotating platform with a typicalfilling system equipped with filling nozzles and filling and weighingdevices.

During operation of this device, containers are suspended vertically bytheir ring on the jaws, the jaws being connected with the weightmeasuring mechanism.

The existing device has certain shortcomings, some of which are listedbelow:

-   -   a complex structure with numerous elements, which is a condition        for inaccurate operation of the weight measuring sensor;    -   each container is gripped below its supporting ring, relying        solely on the force of the spring drawing the two jaws together        to provide the necessary stability of the container during the        filling operation and the rotation of the carousel against the        centrifugal forces, without any other fixation of the container.        This means that the springs used must be powerful enough, which        leads to a relatively fast wear of the elements providing the        free rotation of the two jaws and of the elements of the        container-feeding device and to occurrence of vibrations in the        process of receiving the container by the gripping device        connected with the weight measuring mechanism;    -   on the other hand, protective pipes and sleeves used with the        existing device are supposed to have a required clearance to        ensure the accurate operation of the weight measuring element.        During the operation of the filling machines and in the process        of their cleaning, it is possible that these clearances become        congested by splashes of the product being filled in or by the        washing liquid, which is a condition for inaccurate operation of        the weight measuring element;    -   when operating with products that require a high level of        filling hygiene, the so called microbiologically sensitive        products, the automated cleaning of the device is obstructed by        the numerous elements and clearances, which is a condition for        contamination of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the invention is to create a filling and dosing devicefor containers with a cylindrical ringed neck with a simplifiedstructure, which would ensure stability of containers during theirfilling and the rotation of the carousel, which would not affect theaccuracy of the tensometric sensor and would allow the free permeationof washing liquids or part of the product being filled in into thedevice.

This task is solved by means of a container-filling and weight-relateddosing device for containers with a cylindrical ringed neck, whichconsists of connected gripping device and weight measuring mechanism ofa closed, air-tight type for weighing the containers during the processof filling. The gripping device consists of two jaws that move in ahorizontal plane, mounted on a supporting console plate and connectedwith a spring so that in their front end the jaws form a circle forgripping the neck of the container.

According to the design of the invention, the spring is attached to theback ends of the two movable jaws of the gripping device, which aremounted onto the supporting plate so that they grip the cylindrical neckof the container above the ring during the filling operation. The rearend of the supporting plate is connected to the weighing mechanism,which is a closed type.

Between the middle sections of the two movable jaws is installed andattached to them a changeable fixing element, connected onto thesupporting plate. A protrusion is formed at the front end of thechangeable fixing element, allowing for part of the upper surface of thering on the cylindrical neck of the container to be pressed.

A rounded area is formed at the front end of the supporting plate,supporting and pressing part of the lower surface of the ring on thecylindrical neck of the container.

According to a variation of the realization of the gripping device, thetwo movable jaws are mounted onto the supporting plate so that they gripthe cylindrical neck of the container below the ring. With this solutionthe changeable fixing element is placed in a horizontal plane, parallelto and above the horizontal plane of the movable jaws so that theprotrusion of the changeable fixing element presses part of the uppersurface of the ring on the cylindrical neck of the container against themovable jaws.

The changeable fixing element, located between the two moveable jaws, isshaped so that the diameter of the circle thus formed by the two frontparts of the movable jaws is smaller than the diameter of the neck ofthe container.

With one variation of the realization, the changeable fixing elementconstitutes a body, at the front end of which is shaped the protrusionallowing for part of the upper surface of the ring on the cylindricalneck of the container to be pressed.

With a second variation of the realization, the changeable fixingelement comprises a bearing body mounted to the supporting plate, withthe fixing element being attached to the bearing body by means of aswivel joint under spring pressure. At the front end of the fixingelement is shaped the protrusion allowing for part of the upper surfaceof the ring on the cylindrical neck of the container to be pressed.

The proposed device has a simplified structure, allowing the tensometricsensor to function with the required accuracy. This structure providesstability of containers on the three perpendicular axes—X, Y and Zduring the process of filling and carousel rotation. Furthermore, thestructure of the device provides a high level of cleanness, allowing itto be washed without affecting the operation of the tensometric sensor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES ATTACHED

The attached figures show a model of the invention where:

FIG. 1 shows a carousel type filling installation, including a rotatingplatform with a filling system. A number of filling and weight-relateddosing devices for containers with a cylindrical neck are mounted ontothe platform;

FIG. 2 presents a side view with a partial cross section of the firstvariation of the gripping device of the filling and weight-relateddosing device for containers with a cylindrical neck;

FIG. 3 presents a view from above of the variation in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 presents a cross section of the gripping device in FIG. 2 andFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 presents a side view with a partial cross section of the secondvariation of the filling and weight-related dosing device for containerswith a cylindrical neck;

FIG. 6 presents a variation of the realization of the fixing element.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In compliance with the figures, the installation described above is ofthe carousel type and it includes a rotating platform 1 of the typewhich is well known in practice, with a typical filling system withfilling nozzles 2 and a weighing mechanism 3—FIG. 1. Containers 4 with acylindrical neck 5 are supported in a vertical position under fillingnozzles 2—FIG. 2.

The filling and weight-related dosing device for containers 4 with acylindrical neck 5 and a ring 6 around the cylindrical neck 5 consistsof connected gripping device 7 and drawing mechanism 3 for containers 4during the process of filling—FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The grippingdevice 7 consists of two jaws 8, movable in a horizontal plane. Jaws 8are mounted onto the supporting plate 10 by means of bolts 9. Bolts 9also act as axes of rotation of the movable jaws 8 in a horizontalplane. The rear parts of the movable jaws 8 are connected by means of anelastic element—in this case spring 11. At their front end the movablejaws 8 form a circle for gripping the neck 5 of the container 4.

The rear end of the supporting plate 10 is mechanically connected to thedrawing mechanism 3 for the containers 4 by means of fixing elements 12.

Between the middle sections of the two movable jaws 8 is installed andattached to them by means of a bolt connection a changeable fixingelement 13, connected onto the supporting plate 10 in a fixed position.A protrusion 14 is formed at the front end of the fixing element 13,allowing for part of the upper surface of the ring 6 on the cylindricalneck 5 of the container 4 to be pressed.

A rounded area 15 is also formed at the front end of the supportingplate 10, supporting and pressing part of the lower surface of the ring6 on the cylindrical neck 5 of the container 4.

As was already mentioned above, the movable jaws 8 form a circle at thefront end for gripping the neck 5 of the container 4. The diameter ofthe circle thus formed by the two front parts of the movable jaws 8 issmaller than the diameter of the cylindrical neck 5 of the container 4.

The drawing mechanism 3 is a solid body with integrated air-tight weightmeasuring element (tensometric sensor) and processor, monitoringcontainer filling and weighing. The drawing mechanism 3 is connected tothe control panel of the machine by means of cables 16—FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 shows a variation realization of the gripping device 7, where themovable jaws 8 grip the cylindrical neck 5 under the ring 6. With thisvariation solution, the protrusion 14 of the fixing element 13 pressespart of the upper surface of the ring 6.

FIG. 6 shows a variation realization of the fixing element 13, which canbe used in any of the two cases described above, but it is preferablefor containers 4 whose cylindrical rings are hollow, elastic and havethin walls of uneven thickness. This fixing element 13 comprises bearingbody 17 mounted to the supporting plate 10. A fixing tip 18 is mountedto the bearing body 17 by means of universal joint 19. The fixing tip 18is kept pressed to the supporting plate 10 by a cylindrical spring 20.The cylindrical spring 20 is mounted around axle 21 going throughopening 22, made in the fixing tip 18. The opening 22 allows thevertical movement of fixing tip 18.

The principle of operation of the device is the following: When thecontainer 4 is fed to the jaws 8 by the feeding device, which is notincluded in the attached figures, the side surface of the cylindricalneck 5 of the container 4 touches the inner ends of the movable jaws 8and pushes them apart, overcoming the force of the spring 11. After thecylindrical neck 5 of the container 4 has entered the opening formedbetween the two movable jaws 8, the latter center the container 4 sothat the ring 6 is located between the protrusion 14 of the fixingelement 13 and the rounded area 15 of the supporting plate 10. In thisway, when the carousel rotates during the process of filling andweighing, the container 4 is fixed in a stable position on the threeperpendicular planes with axes—X, Y and Z. This is a particularlyimportant condition for the accurate operation of the weighing mechanism3 and the high output rate of the entire installation.

With the second variation realization, as shown in FIG. 5, the movablejaws 8 of the gripping device 7 grip the cylindrical neck 5 of thecontainer 4 under the ring 6. When the container 4 is fixed, theprotrusion 14 of the changeable fixing element 13 presses part of theupper surface of the ring 6 to the movable jaws 8.

With the variation solution of the changeable fixing element 13, asshown in FIG. 6, appropriate for use with containers whose cylindricalrings are hollow, elastic and have thin walls of uneven thickness, whenthe container is delivered from the feeding device to the grippingdevice 7, the ring 6 overcomes the force of the cylindrical spring 20 bylifting the fixing tip 18. During this operation the ring 6 on thecylindrical neck 5 is positioned between the fixing element 18 and thesupporting plate 10, which is effected by the force of the cylindricalspring 20.

1. Container filling and weight-related dosing device for containerswith cylindrical neck and ring around the neck, consisting of connectedgripping device and mechanism for container drawing during the processof container filling, where the gripping device comprises two jawsmoving in a horizontal plane, mounted on the supporting plate andconnected between by means of a spring, which jaws form a round openingat their front end for gripping the neck of the container, which deviceis characterized by the fact that the spring (11) of the gripping device(7) is concurrently connected to the rear ends of both movable jaws (8),which are mounted onto the supporting plate (10) so that they grip thecylindrical neck (5) of the container (4) above the ring (6), and therear end of the supporting plate (10) is connected to the drawingmechanism (3), which is closed, air-tight type, and a changeable fixingelement (13) is mounted between the middle parts of the two movable jaws(8), touching them, connected onto the supporting plate (10), whichfixing element has a protrusion (14) formed at its front end, allowingpart of the upper surface of the ring (6) on the cylindrical neck (5) ofthe container (4) to be pressed, and the supporting plate (10) has around area (15) shaped, supporting and pressing part of the lowersurface of the ring (6) on the cylindrical neck (5) of the container(4).
 2. A device, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact thatthe two movable jaws (8) of the gripping device (7) are mounted onto thesupporting plate (10) so that they grip the cylindrical neck (5) of thecontainer (4) under the ring (6), and the changeable fixing element (13)is positioned in a horizontal plane, parallel to and above thehorizontal plane of the movable jaws (8) so that the protrusion (14) ofthe changeable fixing element (13) presses part of the upper surface ofthe ring (6) on the cylindrical neck (5) against the movable jaws (8).3. A device, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact thatthe changeable fixing element (13), positioned between the two movablejaws (8), is shaped so that the diameter of the circle formed by thefront ends of the movable jaws (8) is smaller than the diameter of thecylindrical neck (5) of the container (4).
 4. A device, according toclaims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact that the changeable fixingelement (13) constitutes a body which has a protrusion (14) shaped atits front end, allowing part of the upper surface of the ring (6) on thecylindrical neck (5) of the container (4) to be pressed.
 5. A device,according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact that thechangeable fixing element (13) consists of a bearing body (17) mountedto the supporting plate (10), with the fixing element (18) beingattached to the bearing body (17) by means of a swivel joint underspring pressure, at the front end of which is shaped the protrusion (14)allowing for part of the upper surface of the ring (6) on thecylindrical neck (5) of the container (4) to be pressed.